Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Holiday adventures

Back from my travels in Lewes and what a wonderful time I had. I visited my oldest friends Katie and Bob and its always so good to see them. Even when I haven't seen them for ages it just feels completely comfortable to be together. I've known Katie and Bob for 30 years when they worked for a company in London I was sent to as a temp. Seems another life time! Anway after a 5 1/2 hour journey I arrived in Lewes on Friday and we spent the afternoon in their glorious garden in the sun! What a treat after the awful weather in Cumbria. Katie's garden is glorious and I was spoilt for choice for photos to take and Katie gave me lots of advice about my own garden plus some seeds.

Saturday we visited Anne of Cleves house in Lewes and what a great visit that was. There were no room sitters, photos are allowed and lots of activities for children (or rather older children in our case) to do. So wonderful to be able to actually touch the ancient wood and sit in the chairs where so many others had sat before. I love the Tudor and Elizabethan periods and you really could feel the history in the house.

Lunch in a park ... the food wasn't much to write home about, but I do love a bit of park watching with all the children happily playing in the sun and the flowers were glorious (excuse a few more flowery photos!).

(Hope you spotted the beetle).

Then some more culture. This time Virginia Woolf's house; Monk's house in Rodmell. I have to confess to never having read any Virginia Woolf and know little about her life but learnt quite a bit this weekend - especially the rather active partner swapping which was difficult to keep up with! Monk's house is also where she walked to her death from.

More olympics in the evening with a fantastic 5000m final; Mo Farah was just stupendous - though its a good job it wasn't any longer because we were close to having heart attacks. Great to see Tom Daley win the bronze too. Really going to miss the olympics I think it's been such a great 2 weeks of not just sport but people's stories and sharing the most wonderful emotional times. Rachel didn't get in the medals but did get a fifth and sixth in two finals and she made a really good effort - looking forward to Rio. A relief that it all went so well and there were no security issues.Sunday was another lovely day. I've never been to an open garden before and I think I probably started with one of the best. We went to a garden which was beautiful, eccentric and abslutely packed. Plants crammed in banks of colour with sculptures and textures everywhere ... and as for the cupcakes!!

I really enjoyed sharing this garden and it gave me lots of ideas. I also went completely bonkers myself by buying 2 vintage cup garden candle holders ...... you know how it is when something seems a good idea at the time .... and then you have to carry them home without breaking them. But clearly hanging cups in your garden is an absolute must! Far too gloomy to photograph them though I'm afraid.We then continued with our Bloomsbury group tour by visiting Charlston House which was lived in by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. This is rather a crazy place where they have painted most of the surfaces and although the art was mostly not something I really appreciated (except I did like the cat by Duncan Grant) it was a fascinating visit - no photos allowed inside though.

While I was in Lewes I bought a couple of Moda charm packs; Papillon which is my favourite current favourite and also Reunion which feels quite nautical and has some bunting in case you are feeling a bit deprived now the jubilee and olympics are finished.

It would make lovely cushions or a picnic quilt (though I don't need either of those).

No finished items to show you this week, but will hopefully next weekend. I'm still on holiday this week, but its back to the wet weather and it's absolutely pouring down here. This has been a bit of an epic blog but that's what a few days sunshine does for you! Have a great week.

Sounds like a lovely break. I am a huge fan of Virginia Woolf and adore Charleston house. It's ten years since I last went and I'd love to go again. Never been to Monks House though - not sure if it's somewhere I could drag husband and kids around with me! Your friend's garden is a real picture.

Sounds like you had a lovely few days away, Maggie. I visited Charleston a few years back and absolutely adored it! I wanted to come home and paint ALL the surfaces : -) Waiting to see your teacup candle holders.

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About Me

A fifty-something educational manager - a crafting beginner who really only got the bug two years ago. My main interest is vintage sewing and knitting. Also love films, reading and my assorted pets but most of all my lovely son .